Connect Students

We want to make sure that every student is given the opportunity to be a part of OCF and stays strong in their Orthodox faith during college. We are always willing to collect student contact information for any student on a rolling basis and will do our best to reach out to them personally. However, it is during the first forty days of every school year that we make our most concerted effort to reach new college students.

The First Forty Days: High School to College Transition

Research has shown that many college students form the habits and social groups that they will maintain for the entirety of their college career in the first six weeks of their freshman year. Thus, OCF knows it is critical to personally contact every first-year Orthodox college student so that they know that an Orthodox family awaits them on campus during these crucial formative weeks.Through OCF’s First Forty Days Initiative, our local OCF student leaders, spiritual advisors, and lay coordinators introduce themselves to all new incoming students, making sure that they know about Orthodoxy on campus and nearby Orthodox parishes. These students also receive a summer mailing directly from the North American Office with information and materials to help them navigate their freshman year of college as Orthodox college students. It is our hope that through this personal connection, our young college students will not only stay connected but deepen their faith during their years in post-secondary education and graduate to be faithful stewards of parishes across the continent.

By submitting your incoming freshmen’s information by July 15th, you ensure that your students will receive the full benefits of the First Forty Days Initiative.